I started my batch last night. I put my fermentor in a spare room that we keep the vent closed so it doesnt get too much heat. Checked it this morning and the temp was 60 degrees. Should I try and bump this up a touch more or is this ok?
Everyday Simplest Dry Cider
- Thread starter phug
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
phug
Well-Known Member
Leave it the way it is. It may take longer to ferment out fully, possibly up to 4 weeks, but your mileage may vary. 60 is well within the temp range for ec 1118.
Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew
Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew
So I put some vodka in my airlock and after a day it was all gone. I filled it once again and this morning it's once again all gone. The airlock it pushing bubbles out of the top and on to the lid of the bucket.
Should I continue to put liquid in the air lock or just leave it?
Should I continue to put liquid in the air lock or just leave it?
Set up a hidden camera to see who's drinking your air lock ;D
phug
Well-Known Member
slap a sanitized blowoff tube on there, once it calms down you can go back to an airlock
Day 6 and its It's began to calm down.it went from 3-5 bubbles a sec now I getting 1 per second. The batch has been giving off a sweet but very dry smell the last day or so. Really wish I would have put this in a clear carboy instead of a bucket. Maybe next time.
phug,
I was going over your recipe and just notices you dont rack to a secondary. Ive ready that most people say Ec1118 will be done in closer to two weeks(ish).
Now this is my first brew so I have no experience but once its formented out to 1.000 you just add the AJFC in a bottling bucket and siphon the cider into it. WOuld I get any benefit in going to a secondary once its all done eating the sugar besides may be getting a clearer cider?
I was going over your recipe and just notices you dont rack to a secondary. Ive ready that most people say Ec1118 will be done in closer to two weeks(ish).
Now this is my first brew so I have no experience but once its formented out to 1.000 you just add the AJFC in a bottling bucket and siphon the cider into it. WOuld I get any benefit in going to a secondary once its all done eating the sugar besides may be getting a clearer cider?
SO you left it in the primary for 4 weeks? My primary is a bucket. I really need to get a carboy for my primary I hate not being able to "see" it.
Thanks graycobra. I didnt want to veer away from the recipe much at all so I can get a baseline for future batches. I just try and be patient i suppose!
TheCADJockey
ALL YOUR BASE
Thanks for the recipe. This is my first cider though, so I have a few questions if anyone has time to answer. When I saw this recipe and it's simplicity, I picked up juice on the way home last night and mixed it into my spare carboy. In my sheer excitement to see how simple it was, I overlooked the fermentation temp. you posted. The room I ferment in is 68*. So in order to get it a little cooler, I put my carboy in a rubbermaid tote, filled it 1/3 with cold water and am keeping two AJ bottles of frozen water in with it at a time.
- Is this okay? Without having temp. control, this is my first time trying this.
- After two hours there was no airlock activity. Woke up this morning and there was a white layer forming on top it looked like, seemingly no airlock bubbles yet. Is this normal?
- I also took no measurements as you said. Should I plan on taking hydro samples or just let it go 4 weeks? I'm all for getting a finished product sooner but I don't want to funk up my first cider. The wife is excited to try it.
Now that I've made the recipe, the simplicity is worrying me.
- Is this okay? Without having temp. control, this is my first time trying this.
- After two hours there was no airlock activity. Woke up this morning and there was a white layer forming on top it looked like, seemingly no airlock bubbles yet. Is this normal?
- I also took no measurements as you said. Should I plan on taking hydro samples or just let it go 4 weeks? I'm all for getting a finished product sooner but I don't want to funk up my first cider. The wife is excited to try it.
Now that I've made the recipe, the simplicity is worrying me.
Give the carboy a little shake and see if it fizzes or the airlock bubbles. The CO2 might just all be dissolving because it hasn't reached saturation yet.
TheCADJockey
ALL YOUR BASE
I am unfortunately working; I knew I should've given it a shake. Is it going to be too late if it's still not bubbling in six hours when I get home?
You're worrying too much -- including about the temperature. Unless the AJ had preservatives in it, it will be fine. Even if it did have preservatives, EC-1118 might do okay.
TheCADJockey
ALL YOUR BASE
What is the quickest turn-around time someone has had on this? I wish I had seen it sooner so I could've had it for New Years.
Im sitting on day 7 right now and my primary has slowed down from 3-4 bubbles per second to now 1 every 7-8 seconds. I haven't taken a hydrometer reading yet since I broke the one I had within 5 minutes of opening the package.I ordered two just in case.:cross:
I should get them in the mail tomorrow so I can get a reading once it really starts to die down.
Edit:
For some reason I thought I read it was 2 weeks in the primary then 2 in the secondary. But after going through it again I seems phug left it in the primary for the entire 4 weeks.
I should get them in the mail tomorrow so I can get a reading once it really starts to die down.
Edit:
For some reason I thought I read it was 2 weeks in the primary then 2 in the secondary. But after going through it again I seems phug left it in the primary for the entire 4 weeks.
ymmv!!!!
TheCADJockey
ALL YOUR BASE
Yeah I was going to keep it as simple as possible being my first cider attempt and just keep it in for 4 and condition for 4 without any readings. But reading on and people worrying about bottle bombs and what not got me freaking out. I stress about this stuff when it's my first time
TheCADJockey
ALL YOUR BASE
Yeah I was going to keep it as simple as possible being my first cider attempt and just keep it in for 4 and condition for 4 without any readings. But reading on and people worrying about bottle bombs and what not got me freaking out. I stress about this stuff when it's my first time
This is my first brew of any kind as well.
I wouldnt worry about bottle bombs.From reading the sticky in the cider forum about bottling As long as you get 1 or 2 12-16 ounce soda bottles as testers and check it everyday and dont let it get over carbonated the risk is minimal besides bad or weak bottles. Just follow the directions pretty close you will be fine. Even though this recipe says no need for pasturizing I will probably do so anyway for peace of mind.
phug
Well-Known Member
I'll chime in.
4 weeks in primary in a bucket is what was done the last time I made this batch, no secondary.
Temps near 65 are good, even as high as 72 or as low as 55 won't kill you.
No bubbles within 2 hours is perfectly normal, you may have a leaky bucket lid or bad seal. Don't worry.
What does your film look like? View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1417559617.563574.jpg fermentation can look gnarly while being perfectly healthy. But I it's fuzzy or looks like it has a system of roads you may have issues.
If you're worried about bottle bombs use plastic bottles but don't pasteurize in plastic. That being said if you're using glass with this recipe, as long as you ferment all the way dry and your hydrometer confirms that it is done then you are more at risk of losing bottles if you pasteurize then if you just leave it alone.
Yes your fermentation could be done in as little as 1-2 weeks especially with nutrient, but it may not have dropped clear, and you would want to stay near the lower temp range.
Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew
4 weeks in primary in a bucket is what was done the last time I made this batch, no secondary.
Temps near 65 are good, even as high as 72 or as low as 55 won't kill you.
No bubbles within 2 hours is perfectly normal, you may have a leaky bucket lid or bad seal. Don't worry.
What does your film look like? View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1417559617.563574.jpg fermentation can look gnarly while being perfectly healthy. But I it's fuzzy or looks like it has a system of roads you may have issues.
If you're worried about bottle bombs use plastic bottles but don't pasteurize in plastic. That being said if you're using glass with this recipe, as long as you ferment all the way dry and your hydrometer confirms that it is done then you are more at risk of losing bottles if you pasteurize then if you just leave it alone.
Yes your fermentation could be done in as little as 1-2 weeks especially with nutrient, but it may not have dropped clear, and you would want to stay near the lower temp range.
Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew
My hydromenter finally arrived but one of them was broken
I opened up my bucket after sanitizing everything and took a reading. Said it was sitting about 1.020 and the abv was about 5. Although it did fluctuate some for both reading.
Took a sample out a tasted it. Was a little sour quite sweet and had a lot of champagne taste to it.
I'm assuming from reading other threads this seems pretty normal aye?
I opened up my bucket after sanitizing everything and took a reading. Said it was sitting about 1.020 and the abv was about 5. Although it did fluctuate some for both reading.
Took a sample out a tasted it. Was a little sour quite sweet and had a lot of champagne taste to it.
I'm assuming from reading other threads this seems pretty normal aye?
Poured one while starting on my kegerator, stuck a spray paint can behind so you can see how clear it is.
This is my first cider so I don't have a baseline to compare to, but it tastes immensely better than my first mead or beer.
View attachment 1417571679480.jpg
This is my first cider so I don't have a baseline to compare to, but it tastes immensely better than my first mead or beer.
View attachment 1417571679480.jpg
TheCADJockey
ALL YOUR BASE
Little update even though its only day 2.. The airlock has a steady bubble now, it definitely seemed to take a while to start up and it is not nearly as active as my beers. It doesnt even "GLUG" if that makes sense, its more of a constant bunch of tiny bubbles that eventually push a big bubble up.
It has a really nice clean krausen forming on top, but it is getting worrisome. It is almost to the neck of my carboy. Being day 2, I fear I may get home to it overflowing or something lol.
It has a really nice clean krausen forming on top, but it is getting worrisome. It is almost to the neck of my carboy. Being day 2, I fear I may get home to it overflowing or something lol.
TheCAD,
I had a decent amount of foamy bubbles that filled my airlock around day 3 I believe and it last about 2 days and then receded. Nothing that overflowed the lid or anything. I did set it on a old towel incase it did but that was never an issue.
When I opened my bucket I had nothing on the top. A little bit of foam around the edge but nothing laying on top of the cider.
Is this normal?
I had a decent amount of foamy bubbles that filled my airlock around day 3 I believe and it last about 2 days and then receded. Nothing that overflowed the lid or anything. I did set it on a old towel incase it did but that was never an issue.
When I opened my bucket I had nothing on the top. A little bit of foam around the edge but nothing laying on top of the cider.
Is this normal?
TheCADJockey
ALL YOUR BASE
Curious of the same if anyone has any early pictures of what it should look like. It is actually the first time I've done primary fermentation in the carboy, so it is quite the experience seeing it in action. It was almost better to not know what was going on, at least less stressful.
phug
Well-Known Member
Yeah that's pretty normal. As long as you're seeing bubbles rise up to the surface or hearing them or seeing SG drop then you're good
Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew
TheCADJockey
ALL YOUR BASE
I guess I need to buy a wine-thief or something right? I've never had to try to take a sample from my carboy.
TheCADJockey
ALL YOUR BASE
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1417644440.570586.jpg
Ummm.... Should I be concerned? Slowly bubbling still. Nothing messy yet but.. Is this bad?? Please advise!
Ummm.... Should I be concerned? Slowly bubbling still. Nothing messy yet but.. Is this bad?? Please advise!
TheCADJockey
ALL YOUR BASE
Well. Since I didn't have a spare airlock, I let it ride. I think we had an accident while I was at work. Wondering now if I should ditch it and be out the $20, buy a spare airlock, make a blowoff tube and start over when I get out of work tonight.
phug
Well-Known Member
Let it ride. If you have a mess clean it up as best you can. Hit the formerly sticky or dirty areas with some starsan. Then let it finish. It looks like you're off to a good start. If you're worried about tying up the fermenter just bottle it when it finishes fermenting as per your hydrometer. That shouldn't take much longer. Then check it for off flavours and stash it away drinking one every so often to see how it's doing.
Dumping it all now would be alcohol abuse and would spoil your Christmas/ New Years plans.
Definitely grab a blowoff tube of some sort for next time. Better to have one and not need it.
Dumping it all now would be alcohol abuse and would spoil your Christmas/ New Years plans.
Definitely grab a blowoff tube of some sort for next time. Better to have one and not need it.
TheCADJockey
ALL YOUR BASE
I have already learned several lessons in the one week I've had this fermenting. It definitely blew out at some point at work. It no longer has the nice clean krausen on top. Specs of sticky all over but everything in place still. It just has particles suspended throughout the Carboy now. Steady blipping bubbles in airlock now that has some cider in it. I guess I'll just wipe it down and hope for the best.
Week 2: Fermentation has really began to slow down to around 1 burp every 30-45 seconds. Temp has been a steady 58-60 throughout. I really need to start rallying up some bottles. Ive got a total of 20 gallons of cider and only like 5 bottles saved.
Phug, So should I just wait till i see no more burps before I check it or just go 4 weeks even if its still burping and bottle?
Phug, So should I just wait till i see no more burps before I check it or just go 4 weeks even if its still burping and bottle?
